A Brian Shaffer Story
THE FOUL PLAY THEORY
One of the many theories on what could have happened to Brian, revolves around that fact that he could have met with and succumbed to foul play.
So let's discuss this. Let's try to get into the mind of a potential perpetrator that evening and what harm he could have caused to Brian and made him disappear forever.
If indeed a criminal act proved to be fatal that night or ensuing morning hours what could have happened?
"Any generic attacks that could have taken place outside the building should have caused Brian's body to remain there and lie exposed. Yet it doesn't seem to be the case as no trace of Brian has ever been found or detected."
So that entails that the body after the attack must have been hidden, covered, disposed of or taken away from the crime scene.
Let's say for example he encountered a robbery attempt on his way home. One or more perpetrators try to rob him, and he fights back. Scuffle takes place, he hits, they hit him back to hard. They might not have stoppedpeddled until his down, perhaps they continue to hit him to his passes out. The head might have taken too much damage. The guys see what's coming, they don't stick around to see this outcome get finalized with Brian's death.
They run away as fast as they can. They won't for sure stick around or try to give him any medical assistance. They also try to remedy the situation for their own sake by trying to remove the body and waste that precious time in that way. If they quickly moved the body behind a dark alley way or some debris, Brian would have been found.
Scuffle on the street, Brian hitting on a woman and things go sour
It is suggested by the Captain in his visit to the Murder Squad podcast
that it was told to him that when the Band members left by the back exit with their friends and fans that a random drunken dude who no-one really had a grip on had an argument with a lady in the group and this kind of bickering between the two occurred. The Captain had known this lady and asked her if this could have been Brian but she had been insecure if that had been the case.
But let's play with this thought for a moment.
What outcome would this have had on his disappearance that night? The police questioned the band-members that night. They paid them a visit later on so to say when investigating Brian's disappearance.
Had any form of suspicion arisen they would probably have searched more information on this matter and tried to clarify the situation and what could have occurred in this back-exit area further.
If this woman just pushed this person away and things cooled down from there then the whole situation with Brian's complete disappearance is back with a status quo like nothing would have happened.
If someone else interfered, in aid to this woman and things spiralled out ofcontrol, let's say a fight or misorderly conduct or similar incident then there should have been a report filed about that.
At least the Police would have found out about this incident later when investigating Brian's disappearance, if not, then there would have been a cover up by the participants of that episode that night and this doesn't seem to be the case as no evidence or leads haveveined about it.
Ramdom attack on the street
In general this scenario could likely have occurred. The nearby areas and the neighborhoods around this campus area where notorious for many attacks on innocent individuals. Many stories have been recounted on senseless ramdom attacks conducted on innocent walkers by. A drive up from the back on man walking down the sidewalk or a stabbing, a shooting.
However, this would have created a fuzz and probably there would have been testimony or some kind of evidence of this having occurred. The victims' body or any similar indications would also have been discovered. Unless the perpetrators or perpetrators decided to bring the body along if they were in a vehicle or tossed or hid the body somewhere if they felt the necessity to do so.
However, this would have pushed the odds to a much higher degree of getting more incriminated by the fact that they are now also carrying around the body of a victim of foul play by own doing.
If the attempt to cover the body was undertaken, then this entails that the remains are still in nearby areas and not yet discovered.
This scenario is somewhat plausible as motive is not a contributing factor to the execution of this crime. However, crucial facts as evidence, sightings, leads or later recount from any eventual participants completely lacking.
An attempt to dump the body into some kind of waste container large enough for the purpose then?
In case there was a container nearby and at hand, dragging a 6 foot 2 body and lifting it up not to be seen and noticed afterwards, that is a burdensome task. It's a tough call to do alone simply put. There aren't any ways around this fact. This scenario almost requires more than one perpetrator and also the willingness to risk being discovered when attempting this act.
- Will an perpetrator who is not familiar with the victim or somehow connected to this same victim risk or care this attempt if there's not a possibility that investigators could draw any conclusion on who this individual is? Might this endeavor then to avoid detection of body, be to eliminate or hinder any evidence fromexposing the identity of the perpetrator? Hence, scientific examination of the body could reveal something that might expose the identity of the perpetrator and that is the sole purpose of hiding the body? (Also technical evidence, ie gunshot)
- If the perpetrators were in plural numbers, how likely is it with time passing that these individuals wouldn't have leaked the story to someone else or ratted to someone else about it? Violent crime, high probability of repeat business in this instance.
Any final success on this end also requires the body to be missed, hence no passersby tossed anything else in that container and or noticed a male body lying there, no one found his remains on Sunday when his immediate family searched waste containers on Sunday, or when CPD searched containers in an organized manner the succeeding days. And if that garbage truck had a one shot wonder successfully picking Brian's remains CPD followed it up by searching parts of the Franklin landfill where that weekend's and ensuing day's trash had been dumped.
So, what if Brian got into a car that night?
- What threatful situation could or would have forced Brian into a vehicle that night for instance?
- What issues could have caused Brian to against his will enter a vehicle otherwise? A kidnapping? (Who kidnaps male adults, ramdomly with no prior connection?)
The action to enter a car that night from Brian's side would probably have been voluntary.
- A ride home by a stranger? (Not unusual to get a ride, and from there ..?)
- A ride somewhere else close by to finish off the evening with a familiar/known person?
A trip with a vehicle somewhere else outside the immediate area around the campus bar would have complicated the search efforts immensely. It would have opened a host of other possibilities that simply without leads could not have been investigated.
As Brian wasn't observed on the street promenade outside the gateway entrance or seen on the footage on nearby cameras he would have entered or forced to enter a vehicle by the parking lot outside of Wendy's restaurant Or have walked home by the back alley street of North Pearl Street, on the opposite direction of his way home however.
A better understanding of the following choice of words of the lead detective:
"The basic indication right now, is somehow he got down into the construction area and most likely got exited out of there. But again we don't have anything that's on video to support that, it's just speculation at this time".
Psychology of construction workers finding Brian in the construction area and covering his tracks to avoid detection of his body?
A construction worker is on the lowest category in the chain of culpability. Did Brian meethis demise that night due to faltering procedures or failure of properly following regulation in the working environment of the construction site?
Any accidents would be hit with a liability claim on the managerial side in the organization.
Hence, a construction worker or several construction workers wouldn't necessarily feel the urge to hide and get rid of the body of a cartridge and incriminate themselves further when they are most likely not even held liable in the first place. This would also imply some level of communication was held. With each other and perhaps higher up in the chain of command. This cover up couldn't have lasted a long time, and the truth would have surfaced quite quickly after the body's discovery probably. It would probably also entail some form of economic compensation to keep this secret, or if not some threats. It's not simply realistic.
Which are victims usually not found when homicide is involved? Is it a common or rare occurrence?
Concerns over increased criminal activity during the Spring Break holiday. Info on this?
To salvage as many ideas as possible I wanted to recount the main point we discussed:
So we started out with the layout of the building, and Brian exiting either by the back -- together with other people or he traversed the construction area -- whereby we examined the Statement from John Hurst, lead detective in the case who referred to "the basic indication right now is somehow he got down into the construction area and most likely got exited out of there"
The we headed to possible scenarios in the immediate area (OUTSIDE BUILDING ; HEADING HOME) and examined that probability: ,
Robbery attempt,
A Scuffle on the street leading to worse,
Ramdom crimes
And the pursuit of hiding or covering the body. WHY? Lenghty discussion on connection to the perp. Evidence left behind (blood, use of fire.arms witnesses, sounds)
Shallow grave, abandoned premise, shady area, dark alley. Contemplation of passed time, technicalities as decomposition of body and odor
Brian hitting on a woman and things go sour. --- ( One scenario, Boyfriend shows up. Brian get's hit and dragged into a car and taken away tortured and killed).
Transportation away from the area - By Car or other Vehicle, Volountary or by Force. Discussed several scenarios involving Uber, Taxi, Fake Cops,
Kidnapping: Brian being a Male Adult (possible sex crime) or being a Med Student. (Provide care or chemistry know-how to Cartels for instance) Would require some sort of planning.
Psychology of construction workers finding Brian deceased: (Lenghtier) Several reasons and probalities discussed. Communication in this regard also higher up the chain.
Murder for fun: The possibility of a Serial Killer. Hiding of the body not a rare event, could be also for ritualistic purposes to fullfill satisfaction of the crime.
Drugrelated crime: (Brief mention on friends covering their tracks). Discussion on crime committed related to different substance abuse. No indications of heavier drugs involved.
However, possibility Friend/Stranger provided drugs that made Brian overdose. Result: Hiding the body.
Brian removed from area: Other than discussed above: By truck in connection to waste containers, picked up in an ambulance and taken away to facility where's there no ID.
Friends contacted hospitals and Jails. Importance of conducting a quick investigation an. Regulation changed since then.
Multiple inter-twining scenario: Brian walks off, accident occurs or foul play. Lost his mind scenarios. Also beyond State-border. (Tanna gave example In Indiana).
Brian ending up in a body of water: Facts about the Olentangy river. Searches conducted. Tanna gave other examples. Tony Luzio found in a pond.
Suicide scenario: Not a body found? No probs, Tanna provided other cases where that's happened.
Case file status: Not a crime/Other Service, possible meanings, Endangered Missing, Brian on FBI:s Vicap list.
Conclusion: Possibilities determined after discussion was held.
Version: 20240731